Holster

ABSTRACT

A holster for securing a climbing device is configured to resiliently engage the climbing device in an insertion position thereof and yield to an external force, generated by a worker, to allow the climbing device be removed.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application entitled “Holster” filed on Jul. 17, 2003 and assigned Ser. No. 60/487,912, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a sheathlike carrying case for accessory items, and more particularly to a holster for carrying a device configured to support heavy loads.

2. Description of the Related Art

The construction of large steel structures, such as office buildings, bridges, apartment dwellings, and other large multi-story buildings, often times place construction personnel in potentially hazardous locations during both the construction of the building and after its completion, typically during maintenance and general upkeep of the structure. Typically, during construction, after the foundation is laid the building frame is constructed of steel beams having the general cross-section in the shape of an “I” and also known as known as I-beams. As the I-beams are laid in place, they are bolted together to form the frame of the building so that the floors and walls may be put in place as construction of the building moves towards completion.

The I-beams are generally lifted into place by cranes and other large pieces of equipment, and then are joined by steel workers who bolt the I-beams into place at specific locations. The steel workers are typically located in potentially hazardous locations, in that there is no flooring or secure footing in place until the I-beams are actually bolted into place. The steel worker may bolt the I-beams into place while standing in the bucket of a conventional bucket truck, or, in more common situations, the worker walks the I-beams already in place, and for safety purposes may wrap a safety tether or belt around an I-beam or column already in place, and connect the belt or tether to a harness which he wears on his upper body. This makes for a slow and tedious process; each time the worker moves from beam to beam, he must disconnect himself, unwrap the tether from the column or beam, and move to the next location.

A climbing device overcoming this inconvenience and providing a secure footing and a rapid connection for a tether line or safety harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,806,628 and 6,041,891, which is incorporated herein by reference. While the structure of the climbing device allows a worker to feel comfortable and secure, placing it in a pocket is neither convenient nor safe due to its dimensions and weight. Yet, it is imperative that the device be carried in such a manner that it would not jeopardize the worker's safety and particularly, the worker's ability to use both hands.

A need therefore exists for a holster configured to receive and secure a climbing device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a holster configured to securely receive a climbing device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holster configured to allow a worker to remove a climbing device from the holster without, however, compromising the securement of the climbing device in the holster in the inserted position of the device.

The inventive holster is configured to engage a climbing device so that the latter is securely positioned in the holster while a worker uses both hands for establishing his desired position on an I-beam. The body of the inventive holster is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the climbing device and to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the device.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the holster is made from material capable of resiliently engaging the climbing device as it slides into the holster. Given only as an example, such material can be selected from leather, rubber, plastic and/or metal. Accordingly, the inventive holster is dimensioned to have at least one of its surfaces to be slightly smaller than a respective part of the climbing device, which would be received in the holster, to resiliently press against and, thus, secure the device in the holster.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the holster is provided with a finger support allowing the worker to pull the climbing device from the holster by using only one hand. Advantageously, the finger support is provided with recessed portions shaped and sized so that while the finger support allows for the removal of the climbing device from the holster, it still reliably secures this device in its insertion position within the holster.

In accordance with a further object of the invention, the holster has opposite open top and bottom ends, wherein the bottom end is provided with a peripheral flap shaped to resiliently engage the end portion of the climbing device. Alternatively, the bottom end of the holster can be closed, but at least one of the inner walls of the holster can be provided with a resilient lip or lips engaging the climbing device. The lip prevents displacement of the climbing device, unless and until a worker applies a sufficient pulling force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features, objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description accompanied by the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the inventive holster and attachment part as attached to a body part;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inventive holster, removed from the attachment part for securing the holster to a body apart;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the inventive holster of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is one of possible embodiments of a climbing device configured to be securely engaged in the inventive holster.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 a holster 10 can be conveniently secured to any body part including, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the thigh of worker 16. While a variety of attachment means is envisioned within the scope of invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an attachment part comprising a pad 12 is provided with a first strap assembly 14 for belting holster 10 to the thigh of the worker 16. The first strap assembly 14 is connected at one end to the pad 12 and is releasably connected at a second end thereof to the pad, or to itself, for securing the holster 10 to the worker 16. The first strap assembly 14 preferably includes at least one strap, which is connected to one end to the pad 12 and is dimensioned to attach the holster 10 to a leg of the worker 16. Alternatively, based on the preferences of and convenience to the worker 16, the pad 12 can be attached to a belt 18 with a second strap assembly 19. The second strap assembly 19 is connected at an upper portion 50 of the pad 12 and is releasably connected at the upper portion 50 thereof to the pad 12 or to itself.

The holster 10 is structured to reliably secure a tool such as a climbing device 40, which may be variously configured and, exclusively for the illustrative purposes, is shown in FIG. 4. Consonant with the main concept of the invention, the holster 10 has a body 24 shaped and dimensioned to receive a working end or head 42 (FIG. 4) of the climbing device 40 and to retain the latter in the inserted position.

In accordance with one modification of the inventive structure, the body 24, which is made from material including plastic, rubber, metal, leather and other suitable materials that are capable of resiliently yielding to an external force, has an open end for insertion of the climbing device 40, which defines an outer edge having at least one detent for frictionally engaging the head 42 of the climbing device 40 to secure the climbing device 40 in the holster 10, while a cross-section of the body 24 substantially corresponds to a cross-section of the head 42 of the climbing device 40. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the climbing device 40 has an end 44 of head 42 and a handle 40 which extends from the working end 44. More particularly, the body 24 has a detent or collar 20 for retaining the climbing device 40 in the holster 10. The shape of the collar 20 is selected so that it presses against the climbing device 40 as the latter slides into the holster 10 towards its insertion position. Particularly, the collar 20 is curved inwards to have a generally concave shape providing a pressing region 30 spaced from a back wall 32 of the body 24 at a distance slightly smaller than the width of the head 42 of the climbing device 40. Resiliency of the body 24 allows the collar 20, which is deflected outwards upon insertion of the head 42, to resiliently urge against and frictionally engage this head while it slides to the insertion position. Deflection of the collar 20 is facilitated by a pair of recesses 34 formed between the body 24 and the collar 20. Once the collar is displaced out of engagement with the device, the climbing device 40 is easily removed from the holster 10.

To ensure that the climbing device 40 is not accidentally over-inserted, a bottom 28, which in this embodiment is open, has a peripheral flap 22 extending inwards to define a constriction engaging the head 42 (FIG. 4). Collar 20 and flap 22 cooperate to securely hold device 4 in the holster 10. Accordingly, even if the worker has to bend over and, thus, create at least a possibility for the climbing device to fall out of the holster, the engagement of collar 20 and the peripheral flap 22 would prevent such displacement. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the bottom 28 of the body 24 can be completely closed.

Still a further modification ensuring the reliable securement of the climbing device 40 in the insertion position is provided by one or more lips 26 formed on at least one of the inner surfaces of the body 24. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface of the back wall 32 has the lip 26 extending between lateral walls 36. Location of the lip(s) and its dimensions and shape depend on the configuration of the head 42 and selected so that the lip can engage one of surfaces 46, 48 preventing displacement of the climbing device 40 in a manner similar to the peripheral flap 22.

To even further ensure that the climbing device is reliably engaged within the holster 10, upper portions 50 of the lateral walls 36 may slightly converge towards the back wall 32. Alternatively, the upper portions 50 of the lateral walls 36 slightly diverge upwards at the back wall 32 for guiding the insertion of the head 42 of the climbing device 40 into the holster 10. The body 24 further includes a wall having a knob 31 for adjusting a distance between a front wall 33 and the back wall 32. Similarly to the above-disclosed configurations, while the narrowing portions 50 slidably engage the head 42 of the climbing device 40, they are flexible enough to let the latter advance towards and away from the insertion position upon applying sufficient external force.

The inventive structure is not limited to the above-disclosed configurations and can be slightly modified without, however, departing from the main concept of the present invention. 

1. A holster for securing a device to a user, comprising: a pad for placement against the user; a body shaped to accommodate the device and having a back wall attached to the pad, the body being constructed to be adjustable to substantially correspond to the shape of the device; and a first strap assembly connected at one end to the pad and being releasably connected at a second end thereof to the pad for securing the holster to the user; wherein the body includes engagement means for securing the device to the body while facilitating insertion and withdrawal of the device from the body.
 2. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the body is made from resilient material and at least one of its inner surfaces is dimensioned to be slightly smaller than a respective part of the device.
 3. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the engagement means of the body includes a collar for retaining the device in the holster which is curved inwards to have a substantially concave shape providing a pressing region spaced from the back wall of the body at a distance slightly smaller than a width of the device.
 4. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the engagement means of the body includes at least one lip formed on at least one inner surface of the body, the lip extending from the inner surface of the body to engage the device when the device is inserted into the holster.
 5. The holster according to claim 1, further comprising a second strap assembly connected at an upper portion of the pad and being releasably connected at the upper portion thereof to the pad; wherein the second strap assembly is attachable to a belt of the user.
 6. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the first strap assembly includes at least one strap connected to one end to the pad and being dimensioned to attach the holster to a leg of the user.
 7. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the body is made from material including plastic, rubber, metal, leather or metal.
 8. The holster according to claim 1, wherein upper portions of lateral walls of the body slightly converge towards the back wall for slidably engaging a head of the device, wherein the upper portions of the lateral walls are flexible to allow the device to advance into and out of the holster upon application of an external force.
 9. The holster according to claim 8, wherein the upper portions of the lateral walls slightly diverge upwards at the back wall for guiding the insertion of the device into the holster.
 10. The holster according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a wall having a knob for adjusting a distance between the front wall and the back wall.
 11. A holster for securing a device to a user, comprising: a pad; a body having a back wall attached to the pad and a bottom extending from an lower portion of the body; and a first strap assembly connected at one end to the pad and being releasably connected at a second end thereof to the pad for securing the holster to the user; wherein at least one inner surface of the body is dimensioned to be slightly smaller than a corresponding part of the device and is made from resilient material to engage the device as the device slides into the body.
 12. The holster according to claim 11, wherein the bottom of the body includes a peripheral flap which extends inwards to define a constriction engaging an outer surface of the respective part of the device.
 13. The holster according to claim 11, wherein the bottom of the body is completely closed.
 14. A holster for securing a tool to a user, the tool having working end and a handle extending from the working end, the holster comprising: a pad for placement against a body part of the user; a body portion having a cross-section substantially corresponding to a cross-section of the working end of the tool; and at least one strap for securing the pad to the body part of the user; wherein the body portion has an open end for insertion of the tool, the open end defining an outer edge having at least one detent for frictionally engaging the working end of the tool to secure the tool in the holster. 